Claim managers face a never-ending list of challenges on a daily basis. Perhaps the most dreaded, however, is the resignation announcement from one of their best claim adjusters. To the insurance industry, finding a well qualified adjuster from the dwindling pool of talent is the equivalent of having a first-round draft pick in the NFL, minus the multi-million dollar contracts that have become so prevalent in pro sports.

With high burnout rates, and more and more adjusters nearing retirement age, how can insurers and third party administrators find, develop, and retain the best resources to most effectively manage their losses? Unfortunately, this issue is not anything new to the insurance industry. If not considered a crisis today, it certainly is a crisis on the near horizon.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the need for claim adjusters will increase 19 percent over the next 10 years. Given that the average age among the existing crop of claim adjusters is over 40 and they are beginning to eye retirement, the problem is worsening on a daily basis.